Armed clown suspected in string of robberies

A man in a clown mask robs a Brownstown Walgreens at gunpoint and police think the same guy is behind two armed robberies in Ann Arbor.

As if the creepy clown mask wasn't scary enough, Domino's employees in Ann Arbor are also greeted with a gun.

"The suspect in this case had the hood covering his head," said Lt. Matthew Lige, Ann Arbor police. "And all that you could see was the front of the clown mask."

Ann Arbor police say this robbery may be the second stop for this masked man. At about 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, police say a man wearing a very similar clown mask walked  inside the BP gas station on Washtenaw Avenue, holding the clerk at gunpoint.

"He announced it was a robbery and ordered the clerk down on the ground and ordered the clerk to not to look at him," Lige said.

Police describe that masked man as very demanding and forceful, wearing dark pants and a dark hoodie.

"He was armed with a small black colored handgun," Lige said. "And was wearing gloves at time of the robbery."

Police say 30 minutes later, three employees inside a Domino's Pizza on Plymouth Road were held at gunpoint.. Witnesses describe a very similar mask along with a similar gun and clothing.

"In both cases, no shots were fired, no one was injured," Lige said. "But the behavior seemed to be more aggressive in the second robbery."

While Ann Arbor police say these two armed robberies appear to be connected robbery in Brownstown Township with a very similar mask.

Brownstown Township police say the man robbed a cashier at gunpoint inside this Walgreens on Telegraph and West roads at 9:30 p.m. Witnesses say he may have taken off in a blue Chevrolet Impala.

Police there say they aren't ruling out a connection.

"There are so many reported incidents in southeast Michigan, I would not discount there is some connection to all of them," Lige said.

With so many creepy clown sightings and attacks across metro Detroit and the country Ann Arbor police is offering a cash reward to find this clown.

"I'm concerned that the level of violence is increasing," Lige said. "If we don't bring this to a resolution soon, this is going to turn into physical violence and someone is going to get killed or injured in the commission of these robberies."